BLACK ZEN is a movement dedicated to improving the health and well-being of black and brown communities. It is a social enterprise designed to make meditation accessible, relatable and effective across a dynamic range of individuals.

We do this by teaching the tools of meditation through live guided meditation events, social media activism and by

amplifying the voices of wellness contributors to sustain and encourage personal growth for all people.

As a collective, we aim to re-frame mindsets and blow up limiting beliefs.

I’m reading “The Fifth Agreement” right now, and may I just say…I love this book! I’m definitely...

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BLACK ZEN was specifically created to remove the social and financial barriers that restrict black and brown communities from discovering the benefits of meditation, and allow our community to feel included in wellness-based practices.

Our approach to meditation is non-religious based and focuses only on the practice of sitting and intentionally quieting the mind for personal growth. We as Black Zen’s founders have over 15 years of meditation experience and study (both formal and informal), and we draw from these collective insights, lessons and experiences when sharing and curating content.

At some point, everyone gets tired of the bull#%@! For Jasmine and I, that culminated around our late twenties and simultaneously on different coasts. I was in LA frivolously passing the time and pissing off my liver. Jasmine was in New York and climbing the corporate ladder. Two different pursuits (party and play vs. hustle and flow) but the same outcome at the end of the day – to what end?

I searched, read and basically bulldozed my way in trying to find answers - answers to the hard questions. The main question in my head ran something like, "God, this place sucks and I'm bored. Why?"

In spite of my anger and angst, answers came on what Jasmine and I refer to as "the mat." That is, sitting in silence and prioritizing meditation as a required self-care practice. On the mat I found stillness and peace, but most of all, found the clarity to stop feverishly looking for the answers I wanted and instead turned the mind-chatter down to listen for the answers I needed.

Those answers will be different for everyone, but getting them will change the game. For me, that came in the form of the elimination of anger, suffering, depression and fear. This is what I want for you. It's the removal of these things that I believe makes life better.

-Stacey (not bored since 2010)

I came to the mat when I was at my bottom and because I didn’t have the words left to pray. I was too-quickly approaching thirty with no man, no kids and struggling to make ends meet. I came home one day and just sat in silence. That silence felt like days (it was probably more like twenty minutes) and that silence changed my world.

First, my perspective about my situation completely shifted. I realized just how much was available to me and how much potential I had to work with once I finally sat down, shut up and got out of my own way. I met myself – my true self.

I began to recognize the loop of limiting beliefs I held to be true (who put those there?) and for the first time clearly saw they needed to change. Even more, I finally understood it was on me to deconstruct those thoughts in order to move past my obstacles and change my situation.

I meditate daily to keep my thoughts in check and my joy in the meantime!

Goal 1 – Reach my full potential. Goal 2 – Help others reach theirs.

- Jasmine (limitless since 2011)

“Check out Black Zen, a wellness blog dedicated to improving the health and well-being of black and brown communities, and Listen to the Black Zen weekly wellness podcast on SoundCloud or iTunes."

“Black women across the country are teaching yoga, leading meditation and coaching people from all backgrounds... There’s Black Zen, an organization founded in 2016by New Yorker Jasmine Johnson and her sister Stacey, which promotes accessibility to meditation for Black and brown people."